'Ruthless' tactics of sweet company

Fresh controversy about the way children are targeted by food companies broke out today.

Nestle is trying to encourage school children to eat more chocolate and sweets from its vending machines.

It has offered advice to schools on how to boost sales of products such as Kit-Kat and Polos by "optimising" the way in which the most popular sweets are displayed.

Nestle has also launched a new range of vending machines for leisure centres and restaurants specifically targeting children's pester power. The marketing for the "All Stars Bulk Vending Machine" explains that they are aimed at children in the seven to 15 age group.

The machines disgorge handfuls of sweets for 20p a time. Marketing material boasts that children will be drawn to the machines. "Just watch them trying to resist," it says.

The sales push comes despite the food industry coming under unprecedented pressure "to clean up its act". A report from the health select committee painted a bleak picture of Britain's obesity epidemic.

Nestle, the world's biggest food maker, has hundreds of vending machines in schools throughout Britain selling packets of crisps, sweets and drinks. Schools share in the substantial profits generated.

But health campaigners say vending machines selling snacks high in sugar, fat and salt have no place in schools.

Labour MP Debra Shipley, who is sponsoring a Bill aimed at curbing advertising of junk food, said: "The industry is ruthlessly and cynically targeting small children. It is outrageous that schools are installing vending machines that sell nothing but high-fat snacks and sticky drinks."

In a statement Nestle said it "takes a very responsible view towards our relationship with schoolchildren," adding: "We have recently completed a pilot launch of a new vending concept that offers pupils a wider selection of product choice. We are working to expand the selection and are liaising closely with schools."

The school vending machines are just one of an extraordinary armoury of advertising techniques used by food and drink companies.

One recent campaign, for Kellogg's Real Fruit Winders, won an industry award by "entering the world of kids in a way never done before".

Experts say parents are increasingly powerless in the face of an array of hugely sophisticated campaigns including so called "viral marketing" and "underground communication."

One company, Jazzy Media, offers to act as middleman between companies and schools by arranging " sponsorship" of equipment such as exercise books. It has sold advertising space to Masterfoods, the food company that makes Mars Bars and Milky Ways and Glaxo SmithKline, the drugs giants behind Ribena, as well as Pepsi, 7Up and Walkers Crisps.

On its website Jazzy boasts that school "is a creative, uncluttered environment where children form opinions making our communication methods more effective".